The Incubus

Chapter 6, Scene 4

In her dream, Rebecca was in a hospital ward. She saw screaming babies everywhere she looked; babies on the counters, on the chairs, and even lying on the floor. All of them screaming.

'Poor babies,' Rebecca said and picked one up from the cold tiles. The baby continued screaming. She tried to sing to the little girl, but still the baby kept crying. So did the others.

'What's wrong?' Rebecca asked.

The babies kept crying.

Rebecca put the girl down on a chair and left her to get some of the other babies that had to lie on the cold floor. 'I'll be right back for you,' she said over her shoulder.

The screaming of the babies intensified.

'Why are you all crying?' she asked. 'Where are all your mommies?' She looked around, trying to see if she could spot anyone that could help her. All that she saw were more screaming babies. 'Stop,' she tried to shout, but her voice sounded faint and far. 'Stop screaming.'

The crying continued.

'Stop it!' Rebecca shouted even louder, but again yielded no results.

'Stop!'

She sat upright in bed. Justin moaned and rolled onto his side with his back turned against her. The cries of the screaming babies still echoed in her ears. It took her a moment to realize that the cries of the baby she heard was real, and coming from the study.

'Justin,' she whispered, but he didn't respond. 'Love,' she said and touched his shoulder lightly. He turned a bit more and let out a soft snore. She slid out the bed and slowly walked to the door. It sounded indeed as if the cries were coming from within their own apartment. She looked back at Justin through the darkness, but could see his silhouette in the same position it had been in when she tried to wake him. She then walked through the hallway toward the study, softly trailing her fingers along the wall as she went. A moment later she stood in front of the open study door.

She listened.

Yes!

There was a baby crying, and it was in the study. Rebecca instinctively flipped the light switch. The crying stopped as fast as light lit up the room.

There was nothing.

'Hello?' she asked and walked deeper into the study. 'Is anyone here?'

No answer.

A cold chill swept over her and she switched off the light and closed the door before hurrying back to the room. She turned on the bed lamp and shook Justin gently. 'Honey,' she said and shook him some more.

Justin moaned and finally opened his eyes. 'What?' he asked. 'What's going on?'

'Did you hear the baby crying?'

'What time is it?'

Rebecca glanced at the digital clock. 'It's three o' clock.'

Justin moaned again. 'Why aren't you sleeping?' he asked irritated. 'We both have to get up early for work.'

'Didn't you hear the baby?'

Justin sighed and sat up. 'What baby, Becky?'

'There was a baby crying in the study.'

He tilted his head to listen. After a moment he looked at his wife and asked, 'Can you still...hear...the baby crying?'

'Of course I can't,' Rebecca snapped. 'I'm not talking about now. There was a baby crying in the study. When I went to go and check, it stopped.'

'And...? Did you find a baby?' Justin asked. He couldn't hide the condescending bite in his voice.

'No,' she said. 'There wasn't anything...'

'That's it,' Justin said and got out of bed. 'I've just about had enough of this.' With that, he took his pillows. He walked to the closet where he pulled out a spare blanket.

'What are you doing?' Rebecca asked.

'I'm going to sleep on the couch,' he said. 'I don't know about you, but I have a rough day ahead of me.'

'Justin, don't—'

'No Rebecca, I will! This has gone on for long enough now. Either you sort out your issues, or I leave. Got it?' With that, he walked from the room and slammed the door shut behind him.